According to Indian authorities, all of those killed were foreign fighters belonging to Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"The gunfights broke out around today afternoon when a patrol party of Army’s 18 Rashtriya Rifles came under heavy fire in Tikipora neighborhood of Dardpora village in Kupwara district," said J. P. Singh, deputy inspector general of police, North Kashmir Police.

"Seven Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were killed in the day long gunfight and there were no casualties on our side," Singh said.

Kupwara town lies 115 km northwest of Srinagar and is known for the active presence of rebels.

Singh said they sought out the militants after receiving intelligence about their presence in Behak forests of Dardpora.

The gun-battle that followed lasted for about six hours and, according to the police, a huge cache of arms and ammunitions was recovered from the site.

A police sources, who wishes not to be named, said three more militants were believed to be present in the area but managed to escape.